As the nights grow longer and a chill permeates the air, we begin to settle in to our homes and warm blankets more and more. I absolutely love this time of year. When stringing lights from every rooftop and tree isn’t extravagant, it’s welcomed and sometimes expected. When drinks turn hot and warm us up from head to foot. And there’s a magic that can’t quite be described. It’s also the perfect time to offer Winter Solstice Blessings. Here we provide you with a few of our favorites. In addition, a few simple and beautiful Yule spells and divination methods perfect for the Winter holiday season.

Winter Solstice Blessings for All:

No matter your beliefs or the individual’s beliefs, it’s never a bad thing to wish Winter Solstice blessings on someone. Especially during the holiday season. I’ve never once had a problem with someone wishing me peace and happiness over the Winter. Truly, it’s through the Winter that most people struggle with depression and loneliness, so wishing blessings on our loved ones can only serve to uplift their spirits.

“Joyfully bring out the holly and ivy, Feast with the Holly King.
Kiss under the mistletoe, Oh what will this Yuletide bring?
Peace and prosperity ever-flowing.” ~ Otherworldly Oracle

“Dress the Yule tree, light the hearthfire, invoke the Ancestors.
May you be blessed with all you desire this Winter Solstice.” ~ Otherworldly Oracle

“May this Winter Solstice season bring you peace, love and relaxation.
We wish you a good book to read, a blanket to keep you warm,
a hot drink in your cup and friends with whom to weather any storm.”
~ Otherworldly Oracle

Winter Solstice Yule Spells for Protection, Prosperity & Peace

When Yule or Winter Solstice comes around, we see specific themes popping up in our lives and in our magical practice. As witches and pagans, we flow with the changes all around us in nature. And many of us tend to feel those changes VERY intimately. Some of those themes you could consider working into your Yule spells include darkness and shadow work, death and rebirth, moon magic (since the nights are longer up until the day after the Solstice when they grow shorter again), sun magic (since we are encouraging the sun’s return), fire magic, feasting and abundance, divination, and dreams.

1. A Witch Ball Yule Spell for Protection

To our Northern European and Germanic ancestors, Yule is as Samhain is to the Celts. Meaning the ancestors, gods, and spirits were thought to be ever-present during the Winter season. So, just as you can be visited by unwanted spirits at Samhain, so too can you be confronted by the dead during the Winter Solstice (and truly the whole Winter season). A Yule spell for protection may be necessary. Try our witch’s ball below.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A fillable Christmas ball ornament (also called terrarium ornaments. Find at craft and dollar stores.)
• Three protective herbs, examples include: rosemary, salt, pine, spruce, cinnamon, rue, rose, thorns, etc.
• One small stone with protective vibes, examples: tiger’s eye, black tourmaline, obsidian
• Small piece of parchment paper (or brown bag paper)
• Something to write with
• Bow or decoration for top of ball

Here’s how to cast the Witch’s Ball Yule Protection Spell:

1. Gather your ingredients and cleanse them, if you so choose.
2. Set the mood for casting (whatever gets you into the right state of mind. This could be magical music, candlelight, incense, etc.)
3. Begin by opening your fillable ornament and breathing gently into it. You’re filling this spell with your essence. At this time, you should also be visualizing your intention for the ball OR praying, chanting or speaking it out loud.
4. Next, add each herb one by one, telling each ingredient it’s job for the Yule spell. For example, “cinnamon protect my home and family and increase this Yule spell’s effect.”
5. Then add your protective stone. And any other charms you feel are protective.
6. Last, you’re going to write your intention on your piece of paper (say it out loud), roll it towards you, then place it in the fillable ball.
7. Seal the ball with the top piece and add any bows or decorations to it.
8. Then hang it on your Yule tree or near your front door.

2. A Simmer Pot Yule Spell for Prosperity

Yule and Winter Solstice is truly the season of abundance. Unfortunately, many of us end up spending more than we truly have and so sometimes a Yule spell for prosperity is helpful. I’ve found my prosperity often comes from being thankful, so here I provide you with a simmer pot spell I’ve used with good results.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• A large pot, stockpot or dutch oven
• Herbs with properties of prosperity, money, abundance (your choice. I always add an odd number of herbs. Examples are basil, rosemary, chamomile, sunflower, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves)
• Bay leaves (3)
• Fruit slices: apples, oranges, lemons (again, your choice)
• Water
• Sharpie or permanent marker

What to Do:

1. Fill your stockpot/pot half way with water. Set on stove and turn on low heat.
2. Add your herbs, spices, and fruit to the pot. With each item you have, give thanks for the things you have in your life (but also the things you need or would like more of). For example, I would say out loud, “I am grateful for the ability to pay my bills and have some left over for travel and other expenses.” If you’d like to thank your god/ancestor/guide specifically, you can do that too.
3. Really focus on all of the positive things in your life throughout this Yule simmer pot spell. Gratitude brings more abundance.
4. Next, write what you’re grateful for on the bay leaves (again, these are also things you may need more of).
5. Add the bay leaves to the pot.
6. Bring to a simmer, then turn down to low and keep the water at a simmer for as long as you’d like. I typically let my simmer pots simmer for at least a few hours.
7. Optional: after you’re done with the simmer pot, remove from heat and let cool. Add the cooled remnants to a spray bottle and sprits around the house for added energy and increased results.

3. A Yule Tea Spell to Have Peace and Quiet

I’m an introvert, and I’d venture to say most of the witches I know personally also have introverted personalities. This means we crave the quiet. We need alone time in order to recharge our batteries. Too many people around all of the time scatters our energy. And we all know how crazy Yule can be with visitors, parties, feasts, etc. So if you need some peace and quiet, here’s our cozy Tea Spell for a serene Solstice.

Ingredients for this Yule Spell (Be prepared for Winter Solstice Blessings of Solitude)

• Your favorite mug or teacup (bonus points if it’s white or light blue in color)
• Tea kettle (stovetop or electric OR a microwave if you don’t have a kettle)
• 3 calming herbs: chamomile, lemon balm, and spearmint (1/2 tsp of each)
• Tea bags or diffuser
• Water
• Honey (optional)

What To Do:

1. Heat your water to boiling. Remove from heat.
2. Add the chamomile, lemon balm and spearmint to your tea bag/ball/diffuser. With each herb, imagine all of the world melting away and leaving you in quiet, healthy and comfortable solitude.
3. Carefully pour the water over the herbs (or if you’re using a bag/ball, add to it and put in your cup).
4. Add honey if you so choose.
5. Stir clockwise and say, “calming tea, calm my nerves, and grant me peace and serenity.” 3x
6. Drink slowly, close your eyes and enjoy the tea. Even if there are people around. They will leave soon. Trust me.

Winter Solstice Yule Divination Methods

Whether you live in a place where there’s snow or a tropical climate with palm trees and sand, the Winter Solstice gives us a time to intimately connect with the Winter Yule spirits. And how do we do that? Through divination, of course. We recommend divining in a way that you feel most comfortable, but around the sabbats trying out sabbat-themed divination tools and practices. Like incorporating snow or ice into your ritual.

Snow and Ice Divination for Yule

Divination by snow is called nivimancy and divination by ice is cryomancy. There’s different ways to do this. First, if you live in a place where you get snow, simply watching the snowflakes falling and allowing your mind to clear. Then letting images, words, numbers, symbols pop into your mind. If you can go out in the snow, watch the flakes and notice their patterns, how the wind blows them, etc. Ask the Winter gods, ancestors, and spirits to give you messages through the snow.

If you don’t live in a place with snow, I recommend the shaved ice method. You can purchase a shaved ice machine (sno cone machine, as they’re sometimes called). Or purchase shaved ice, then allow the ice to melt and read the shape, size, etc. of the puddle made. In addition, you can gaze into the puddle and water scry. I feel the Winter spirits enjoy sending messages through the elements which includes snow, ice, mist and hail.

Bake a Yule Loaf and Aleuromancy

One of my favorite things to do on the holidays is bake bread. Not only can you make your loaf of bread into a spell for prosperity, health, etc. BUT you can also read the patterns in the flour on the counter. Some folks even enjoy putting little charms inside the bread (don’t feed to little kids and warn folks that there’s charms inside!) while others determine readings based on who takes the largest slice, what crumbs are left on their plates and more. Reading patterns in flour and bread is called aleuromancy.

12 Days of Yule = Your Next 12 Months

This is a technique I’ve used year after year and it almost always turns out to be scary on-point. For each of the 12 days of Yule, you’ll record any omens or signs from that day. Each of those 12 days’ omens/signs are your reading for the next 12 months in the coming year. I honestly picked this up off another witchcraft website a few years ago and can’t remember who made the suggestion. So if it was you, let me know so I can credit you.

Here’s a few examples of how this Winter Solstice divination works:

• 1st day of Yule: the first snow falls
• 2nd day of Yule: a crow sits on your roof and caws before dawn
• 3rd day of Yule: your grandma calls and says she’s been thinking about your friend who passed away
• 4th day of Yule: carolers come to your house and sing your favorite song
• 5th day: the broom falls over by your front door
• 6th day: you find a dead mouse in the basement
• 7th day: a friend visits without first notifying you
• 8th day: your candle burns down SUPER quick leaving a wax pattern that looks like a heart
• 9th day: you step outside and hear a coyote call
• 10th day: nothing remarkable happens
• 11th day: you spill your coffee all over your new dress
• 12th day: your heater dies

How this divination plays out month-to-month (be sure to record throughout the year what happens so you can look back at the crazy results):

• 1st day = January = turns out to be a quiet, serene month
• 2nd day = February = you have a new opportunity to join a local coven
• 3rd day = March = you dream about your old friend and get the feeling she’s visiting from the spirit world
• 4th day = April = this month goes really well for you, luck seems to follow you everywhere you go
• 5th day = May = company shows up. It’s your mother.
• 6th day = June = you’re sadly demoted at work
• 7th day = July = then your long time friend from Uni offers you a better job!
• 8th day = August = a passionate romance comes into your life
• 9th day = September = you find out a coworker has been talking about you behind your back
• 10th day = October = a calm, quiet month (and much needed)
• 11th day = November = your project at work slows down considerably
• 12th day = December = you realize your anger is getting away from you and figure it’s time to “chill out”

More for Winter Solstice Yule:

• 20 Crystals for Yule Winter Solstice and Uses
• Saturnalia: Ancient Winter Traditions & Ways to Celebrate
• 20 Christmas Spices & Herbs to Fill Your Home With Joy